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queeb posted:Hey guys! What's your budget? What kind of switches are you looking for? What layout are you looking for (full sized, TKL, or smaller)?
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May 5, 2021 22:05
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queeb posted:Hey guys! If you're not looking to stare into the abyss too deeply just get a tecware phantom from amazon with brown switches and call it a day. If your budget is higher look into code keyboards, ducky keyboards, varmilo keyboards. Mechanicalkeyboards.com has a tool that you can search by switch type but don't look at anything that doesn't show "in stock".
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May 5, 2021 23:05
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Turns out my GMMK Pro brass plate is warped, so that's why I was having the issue with the space bar, fun. Aluminium plate at the moment serving me well. Kind of hard to get used to the smaller size and I've already reached for the non-existant numpad. Little bit pissed at how short the USB cable is compared to my old keyboard though, but oh my goodness the Boba U4 62g's are so nice to type on. Super quiet compared to my old Cherry browns like wow. GloriousCore kind of loving sucks though, and its pretty lame that the rotary is useless if you use QMK. Was NOT able to figure out how to make any use of the Fn key using GloriousCore either so yay for that, and did not think about the Razer caps I got as a holdover not having the correct 1u and 1.75u right control, whoopsy.
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May 5, 2021 23:19
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mariooncrack posted:What's your budget? What kind of switches are you looking for? What layout are you looking for (full sized, TKL, or smaller)? around 200, probably browns from what ive been reading, and definitely full size. i use my f-keys a numpad a decent amount!
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May 6, 2021 00:46
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queeb posted:around 200, probably browns from what ive been reading, and definitely full size. i use my f-keys a numpad a decent amount! Leopold fc900r or fc980m if you want something more condensed would be my suggestions for no-fuss in that price point. https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=172 https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=365 Edit: Or Varmilo 108 for led and color options. https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_list&c=469 .Z. fucked around with this message at 01:15 on May 6, 2021 |
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May 6, 2021 01:13
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Stroop There It Is posted:Yeah, I checked there, doesn't say. One of the people who know things can correct me, but I think that ePBT only does PBT keycaps in Cherry profile for group buys. They've started to do some ABS keycaps, but not for group buys, or at least that's what some google doc about keycap manufacturers says. queeb posted:around 200, probably browns from what ive been reading, and definitely full size. i use my f-keys a numpad a decent amount! Another direction to consider is getting a Keychron that’s hot-swappable and spending some of the rest of your budget on nicer switches (e.g. Boba U4 silent tactiles). I don't personally own one and can't vouch for them, but recently I think a number of people in the thread have had success with them as an entry-level keyboard. The C2 is a full-size keyboard, and they also have 96% (K4) and TKL options (K6) to consider. Bark! A Vagrant fucked around with this message at 05:07 on May 6, 2021 |
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May 6, 2021 01:19
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Though the title is just PBT and not ePBT, so maybe it isn't ABS?
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If you really just want a functional keyboard and aren't an obsessive freak then yeah, go with the above keyboards with an MX brown switch and don't read the next paragraph. If you're an obsessive freak like most of the rest of the community, you'll be really well served avoiding the MX browns and going with something like the Bobas, Holy Pandas, Kiwi, or something Zealios. I was super happy with my MX brown board and thought it was the bees knees, then I watched the glarses video about them... Now I've been ordering sample packs of switches and doing A/B comparisons and MY GOD the boutique switches blow browns out of the water. I will never be happy with my current board again, and my fiancee has forbidden me from a new build till I finish some other household projects. I am an unhappy camper.
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May 6, 2021 03:20
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https://www.pcgamingrace.com/products/gmmk-full-brown-switch Regular GMMK is an option. It's $110 with gateron brown switches and currently in stock. The gateron brown switches should be close to the cherry mx browns. If you don't end up liking the switches, you can change them later. The one downside is that it only takes 3 pin switches. You can get a barebones version and then get your own keycaps and switches too. That might be a little more pricey. Got this setup for a friend and they love it.
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May 6, 2021 04:06
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Also the Keychron C2 hot swap is an option as well. You can even get it with gatreon browns. I have the C1 and I love it (but I'm also an rear end in a top hat and jumped on the KBD67 lite mk 2 group buy and got some silent alpacas to go with it).
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May 6, 2021 04:28
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DrHammond posted:If you really just want a functional keyboard and aren't an obsessive freak then yeah, go with the above keyboards with an MX brown switch and don't read the next paragraph. Yeah don't do this queeb. Save yourself while you still can. Otherwise this happens: aeflux posted:god help me reading this thread has cost me so much more money And before you know it, you've dropped $400 on a keyboard case because it's a rare layout you like.
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May 6, 2021 06:11
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DrHammond posted:I will never be happy with my current board again, and my fiancee has forbidden me from a new build till I finish some other household projects. I am an unhappy camper. A weaker man than I would suggest that you complete those projects posthaste. I will simply suggest that you kindly, but firmly, 
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May 6, 2021 06:54
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Zarin posted:A weaker man than I would suggest that you complete those projects posthaste. I think I may have a loophole... I'll build a board for HER! Then I can have her Cherry Blue Varmilo and be rid of my Taurus K320! (Then she'll leave me because I keep her up mashing on blues playing Apex at 2AM) (Also I'll just be dissatisfied I have blues instead of Box Jades)
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May 6, 2021 07:44
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do your chores then you can play
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May 6, 2021 08:53
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like a month ago I was in here asking to replace my Saitek Eclipse II. kbd67 lite in the foreground, my new savage65 with instant65 in the background. both with boba u4 silents, durock v2 stabs. I only like one set of keycaps right now lol.
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May 6, 2021 13:27
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DrHammond posted:I think I may have a loophole... I'll build a board for HER! Then I can have her Cherry Blue Varmilo and be rid of my Taurus K320! I had the same idea. I thought it would be great because I have an excuse to buy more keyboard stuff too! My wife just gave me those "you're an idiot" eyes and came up with more chores that needed to be done. But on the upside my 2 year old now has cooler keyboards than most keyboard enthusiasts and a sweet artisan collection to boot.
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May 6, 2021 16:50
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Anyone know what kind of keyboard I should look for as someone whose hand muscles get sore from typing? I've been wrestling with tendonitis in my right forearm on-and-off for a while now, and though hand/wrist exercises have partially helped it, I've noticed that using my old (non-mechanical) keyboard still aggravates it. I'm wondering if there's a specific brand or type of keyboard with very light/soft button presses for someone like me.
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May 6, 2021 19:01
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Minorkos posted:Anyone know what kind of keyboard I should look for as someone whose hand muscles get sore from typing? I've been wrestling with tendonitis in my right forearm on-and-off for a while now, and though hand/wrist exercises have partially helped it, I've noticed that using my old (non-mechanical) keyboard still aggravates it. I'm wondering if there's a specific brand or type of keyboard with very light/soft button presses for someone like me. Aside from the usual ergonomic checklist (forearms parallel to ground, elbows close to your torso), you can also try tenting your keyboard by elevating your palm rest and the half of the keyboard closest to you so you're typing at a negative incline, keeping your wrists are constantly above your hands. Worth trying it out by putting things under your palm rest/keeb before buying a whole new keyboard, but it might be hard with whatever you have laying around though. If your want to just buy a whole new keyboard, tented or split keyboards seem to be the way to go for pain you describe, anecdotally. For the pain you describe, I've had coworkers and friends swear by the Goldtouch (open palm tented of vary degrees) and Kinesis line (Advantage is a single board but split layout and tented, Freestyles are split). I don't have any experience with them, but you can drop a lot of cash on the Ergodox or Moonlander, which are tented and split. Switch weight could play a factor, but I don't think it would make as big a difference as changing your typing posture.
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May 6, 2021 20:12
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Yeah a split keyboard worked wonders for my wrist and finger pain, but that was mostly outer-wrist and pinky pain from twisting my wrist outward to reach symbol keys. I'm not sure how big of an impact it would have on tendon and forearm pain. I agree with the above, switches are all pretty light in finger-strength terms and the difference between them is pretty minor outside of maybe your pinky, the actual force used to actuate them is really unlikely to cause your pain. How your hands/wrists rest is going to have a much bigger impact, as well as general typing practice. If you're resting your wrists right on something, especially if any pressure is being applied to your carpal tunnel, you're gonna have a lot of problems.
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May 6, 2021 20:40
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Minorkos posted:Anyone know what kind of keyboard I should look for as someone whose hand muscles get sore from typing? I've been wrestling with tendonitis in my right forearm on-and-off for a while now, and though hand/wrist exercises have partially helped it, I've noticed that using my old (non-mechanical) keyboard still aggravates it. I'm wondering if there's a specific brand or type of keyboard with very light/soft button presses for someone like me. A coworker could barely move his hands/fingers but managed to work pain free when using a Kinesis advantage. Once the worst pain was gone he switched to ortholinear and hasn’t had any more complaints. This of course is n = 1, ymmv.
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May 6, 2021 20:42
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I'm going to look into improving my ergonomics too (though they are decent already), but I've noticed I get way less strain when typing on softer laptop keyboards, so I do think my keyboard is at least a little culpable. I may just try a keyboard with softer switches first before I drop several hundred on an ergo keyboard
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May 6, 2021 21:45
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Posture and typing style can change pretty dramatically when switching from a laptop to a standalone keyboard
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May 6, 2021 21:51
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Minorkos posted:I'm going to look into improving my ergonomics too (though they are decent already), but I've noticed I get way less strain when typing on softer laptop keyboards, so I do think my keyboard is at least a little culpable. I may just try a keyboard with softer switches first before I drop several hundred on an ergo keyboard The ms sculpt ergo (I think) and whatever the Logitech equivalent is both have keys with minimal pressure and travel and are relatively affordable vs bonkers custom mechs like ergodox-EZ
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May 6, 2021 21:53
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Minorkos posted:I'm going to look into improving my ergonomics too (though they are decent already), but I've noticed I get way less strain when typing on softer laptop keyboards, so I do think my keyboard is at least a little culpable. I may just try a keyboard with softer switches first before I drop several hundred on an ergo keyboard I'd get something with the lightest possible linear switches, I think. Switches are rated in the amount of force needed to full depress them, and they range from 35-100 grams. Gateron Clears are very very light (https://novelkeys.xyz/collections/switches/products/gateron-switches) , as are these silk reds: https://novelkeys.xyz/collections/switches/products/the-silk-series
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May 7, 2021 00:28
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Off-the-shelf keyboards can have light/short switches as well. iirc Logitech's Romer-G switches are incredibly light with a short throw. To the point where my giant meatpaws struggled to use the board for typing because my "just brushing" a key felt like it caused it to trigger.
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May 7, 2021 07:35
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Romer G is loving trash. Don't get those. Soft switches? NIZ PLUM!! Topre clones that are buttery smooth and soft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULWrHKzmepU&t=402s Thats my review of this board. redeyes fucked around with this message at 15:08 on May 7, 2021 |
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May 7, 2021 15:05
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mewse posted:The ms sculpt ergo (I think) and whatever the Logitech equivalent is both have keys with minimal pressure and travel and are relatively affordable vs bonkers custom mechs like ergodox-EZ I ended up looking for the Logitech K860, but it was temporarily unavailable at my preferred place of business (that has a very liberal refund policy), so I ended up getting an MX Keys Wireless for the time being. I feel like I may have overpaid for what I got, but it does feel much smoother and less straining to type on than my old Logitech keyboard. I think it was less about the actual switch stiffness since these keys feel about as hard to press down, but the travel distance/angle and general feel of the keys seems better. Edit: oh yeah and they promote a slightly better position for my wrists too Might still use the aforementioned refund policy and switch over to the Logitech K860 or something else in case I made a horrible mistake with this keyboard. Minorkos fucked around with this message at 17:02 on May 7, 2021 |
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May 7, 2021 16:57
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Minorkos posted:I ended up looking for the Logitech K860, but it was temporarily unavailable at my preferred place of business (that has a very liberal refund policy), so I ended up getting an MX Keys Wireless for the time being. I feel like I may have overpaid for what I got, but it does feel much smoother and less straining to type on than my old Logitech keyboard. I think it was less about the actual switch stiffness since these keys feel about as hard to press down, but the travel distance/angle and general feel of the keys seems better. Edit: oh yeah and they promote a slightly better position for my wrists too I think you probably do want to switch to an ergo board eventually. I just got a cheapo bluetooth keyboard recently that's aping apple with the extremely shallow keys and it's not that pleasant to type on. I came across a ms sculpt ergo on someone's desk at some point and it felt really comfortable, I'm a touch typist and the split isn't that bad except for the Y key for me (I normally hit it with my left hand for some reason)
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May 7, 2021 17:23
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I'm glad my GMMK Pro preorder hasn't come in yet, I was able to blast through the "I gotta have this now impulse buy immediately" stage to the "do i really even need this?" to the "why the gently caress did I even buy this I hate mini keyboards?" to straight up buyers remorse all without spending any money, well without spending any money I can't get back anyway. now I'm just waiting for them to tell me it's available so I can just not pay the extra 70 bux and just get my 100 bux back.
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May 8, 2021 19:22
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So my 8 year old logitech K310 has finally given out and I think I'm ready to enter the world of mechanical keyboards. But... I am really clumsy and spill things on my keyboard a lot (hence why I got the K310 in the first place), and I have developed a strong preference for keyboards with less travel (think Apple chiclets). So: - Are there mechanical keyboards with less travel or are the cherry designs all pretty uniform in that respect? - How easy is it to wash if you spill juice or coffee on it? (if you have any recommendations, I do use the numpad, so full size for me please and thank you. I am less concerned about cost - mostly about it surviving) Clairetic fucked around with this message at 23:36 on May 8, 2021 |
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May 8, 2021 23:19
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I don't know if I want to suggest anything if spilling stuff on your keyboard is a common occurrence. Stuff in this hobby gets expensive really fast (everything on my not-really-even-entry-level TKL totals up to around $240, all told), so consider how much you feel comfortable possibly spilling things on. :P
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May 9, 2021 00:19
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There are switches with a variety of travel distances, from laptop level on up. That said.. lol man nothing is gonna be good if you spill sticky liquids in it lol. A modular board is able to be totally disassembled and cleaned, but that's still a titanic pain in the rear end and potentially ruining a couple hundred bucks.
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May 9, 2021 01:17
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I don't mean to be an rear end in a top hat by this post, I'm just making suggestions. Getting some cups that are hard or impossible to knock over will probably help a lot more than looking for a spill proof keyboard. IBM Model M's had drainage channels for this kind of occurrence but they also don't have short travel distance. I have a couple of these stoneware mugs for my coffee and I've used them for 8 years or so with very little spilling. I can't say I've never spilled anything but it's more due to going down stairs with hot coffee filled up too high, and it usually just splashes on my hand. There may be other better options but these are what I'm familiar with for coffee at least. https://smile.amazon.com/Highwave-H1401-Hotjo-Mug-Ocean/dp/B00BME1G6A/ There's low profile mechanical switches but for short travel distance before actuation you might want something like the Cherry MX speed switches which are 1.2mm of travel before actuation instead of 2 mm like most mx switches. They still travel 3.4mm total, though. Something like the Kailh low profile switches might be more in line with what you want but you won't be able to get a lot of keycaps for them since they take a different kind that doesn't have the standard cherry mx stem. I own a Havit board with kailh low profile switches and while it's not extremely high quality they feel fine and are a little clicky and nice: https://smile.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-Extra-Thin-Switches-HV-KB395L/dp/B074QM6F7X/ Rexxed fucked around with this message at 01:56 on May 9, 2021 |
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May 9, 2021 01:53
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If nothing else, get the same board you had. That sucker must have been a trooper to last 8 years. I looked it up and it looks like its main appeal was it being waterproof and washable. Doesn't seem to be mechanical, but if you're not feeling confident in keeping it clean, mech keebs might not be for you.
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May 9, 2021 02:09
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My 2013 purchased Ducky Shine Zero just died after my daughter spilt a coke on it. I'm using my backup WASD Code TKL with Cherry Clears but really would like a full sized, so ordered a GMMK barebones + Kailh Box Blacks and their Aura PBT keycaps. Have I made any glaring mistakes, or should this be fine for someone who likes a bit of resistance and a solid feel like the MX Clears ?
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May 9, 2021 04:40
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Thanks for the tips! I can definitely look into getting some spill-proof cups, but sometimes it's like bubble tea or something, so transferring isn't always an option. That is unironically a helpful suggestion though. It kinda looks like the K310 isn't made anymore; most primary retailers aren't carrying it and those that are are selling it at a huge markup. I might end up paying 50-100% more for a replacement despite that. I was really pretty happy with it. But yeah, it's definitely a membrane-based design albeit a high quality one, which is part of the reason it's so easy to clean, but also part of the reason I'm looking to get something different. Currently I'm looking at the Corsair K68 which, while it's not chiclets and it's only a plastic baseplate, and it is a bit more expensive than a replacement K310, it does have cherry red switches and there are some reviews of people subjecting it to some pretty extreme abuse, far worse than anything I would do. It has a hidden flood wall under each key, which I suppose wouldn't work with lower-profile keys. This seems like the closest I'm going to get to what I want? I have had no complaints about Corsair internal components over the years but I've never used a Corsair peripheral before. Most of the other options that are less expensive seem to be using the Otemu switches which the OP is pretty ominous about - I take it they have a much higher failure rate or tend to wear out much faster? Clairetic fucked around with this message at 09:55 on May 9, 2021 |
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May 9, 2021 09:47
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any suggestions for diy kits? i want to solder, a lot.
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May 10, 2021 03:33
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Re Split Keyboards: I type a lot for work and get awful wrist pain using a normal keyboard for any length of time. The issue is that in order to keep my fingers on the home row, I end up bending my wrists at an uncomfortable angle. I long since stopped using straight boards but at one point the pain was so bad I couldn't open a book or pull things out of my pocket with one of my hands. it was that bad. I found that even a basic split keyboard like the MS natural make a huge difference in comfort. Because of the split and slightly tented keyboard surface, my wrists etc are at a much more neutral angle. if you are finding that you're getting wrist pain from typing, and not typing isn't an option, see if a cheap split keyboard helps out. I'm looking at maybe making a split because the ms keyboard I've got is kinda on the way out. A lot of the keys are now very gummy and the board is a bit of a pain to clean. its also loving huge and these days a bit of space and portability would be nice.
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May 10, 2021 05:43
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SEX HAVER 40000 posted:any suggestions for diy kits? i want to solder, a lot. i recently put together a keyboard based on XD84 pro PCB. seemed to be a decent quality PCB and my dumb rear end did just fine. you should pick layout first though.
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May 10, 2021 12:30
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Beaucoup Haram posted:My 2013 purchased Ducky Shine Zero just died after my daughter spilt a coke on it. you could take it apart and clean it and it would probably live
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May 10, 2021 13:14
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SEX HAVER 40000 posted:any suggestions for diy kits? i want to solder, a lot. Browse the KBDfans DIY kits and see if anything tickles your fancy.
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May 10, 2021 15:48
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